Joint-grinder.



E. L. PALM BORG.

JOINT GRINDER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 1915.

1,%9,996q Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET i- Inverfi'or E. L. PALIVIBORG.

JOINT GRINDER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1, 1915.

Patented Dec. 26,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Invenror. Edwin L. Puimborg y Maw Aw s Fi 4L.

LQQ QQQD EDWIN L. PALMBORG, OF FOREST HILLS, MASSACHUSETTS.

JOINT-GRINDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 266, 1916..

Application filed June 1, 1915. Serial No. 31,329.

This invention relates to an improvement in grinding machines.

This apparatus is adapted to grind steam pipe joints of the class knownas ball joints. In steam pipes, due to contraction an expansionattendant upon highly variant temperatures, it is essential to have wellfitting connections in the pipes carrying the live steam. Such necessityis particularly notable in the oints in what is known as the niggerheadof locomotives.

A pipe, known as the dry pipe, is placed inside the boiler and runslongitudinally thereof, carrying the live steam destined for consumptionin the cylinders. This dry pipe projects into the smoke-box at the frontof the locomotive. The niggerhead is the T- shaped head which is on thesmoke-box end of the dry pipe and functions to provide a two-wayconnection therewith for the steam pipes leading to the cylinders. Inaddition to the obvious desirability of preventing the depreciationof-the steam pressure at the niggerhead, it is essential that this jointshould not leak as the escape of steam at this point would lessen, ifnot totally destroy, the partial vacuum which is mamtained for purposesof draft in the smokebox. As these joints become corroded and roughenedin use, with the resultant escape of steam, it is necessary to grind theconcave faces of these ball joints to insure a steamtight connection.For this purpose the usual door of the locomotive front plate is openedwhich furnishes access to the nigge'rhead. The present practice is todisconnect tlte steam, pipes from the niggerhead and to grind thesejoint surfaces by hand within the small and restricted space availablewithin the smoke-box of'thelocomotiver Such procedure entails great lossof time and the expenditure of labor unnecessary when using this new andimproved device. The apparatus, the subject of this invention, isadapted to be inserted in the smoke- I box of a locomotive upon theopening of the usual door. of the front plate. Its supportmg arm 18bolted to the flange surrounding the joint to be ground. This arm has aball and socket engagement with the grinding device proper so that itmay be moved when in operation'relatively to the arm, resulting in asymmetrically ground joint surface. The grinding device consists of aring composed of an abrasive material and has one convex face and a flatface so that it is'adjustably adapted to grind either a concave or afiat surface. A handle is secured to the grinder frame for-its facilemanipulation while the geared grinding portion is driven by means of atelescoping shaft from a suitable power source. Upon the proper grindingof one joint face the grinder arm is removed and bolted to the flange ofthe other joint and that surface similarly treated.

The object, therefore, of this novel construction is to provide anabrasive means adapted to grind pipe joints when a restricted space isafi'orde'd.

Another object is to provide a joint grinder adapted to be movably heldagainst a ball joint and which is provided with an arm by which it mayconveniently be manipulated while in operation.

A further object is to provide such a grinder with a flexible andextendible power shaft permitting effective operation of the grindingapparatus in various sized and shaped inclosures and at variantdistances from the power source.

In order to afl'brd an understanding of this invention, a selectedembodiment has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and willnow be described. 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of the grinder, motor and platform aspositioned in a locomotive smoke-box; Fig. 2 is a plan view of one endof the adjustable platform; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;Fig/d is a sectional view of a niggerhead with the grinder in positionand shows the positioning means; Fig.5 is a side view in elevation ofthe grinder with the universal and telescoping shafting; Fig. 6 is asection on the line 66, Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section throughthe bracket and showing the slot.

The I -shaped coupling or niggerhead 1 has two openings or steam ways,the surfaces 2 of which are arcuate or spherical.

These openings have annular flanges 3 having holes 4 therein by whichmeans the steam pipe connections" are bolted to the niggerhead. In theviews shown, the steam connections have been removed in order toposition the grinder.

The grinder proper is adjustably retained in place by means of theangled supporting bracket 5 which is adapted to be secured in threadedengagement in one of the bolt holes 4 of the annular flanges 3. As shownin Fig. 4, the grinder is positioned in the right side opening in thehead. The .grinder proper consists of a frame having three arms 6, 7 and8. The frame arm 6 has an enlarged portion 9 which furnishes a bearingfor the shaft 10 of the driven bevel gear 11. Thegear 11 is adapted tomesh with and actuate the gear 12 whose shaft 13'is journaled intheenlargement 14 at the union of the three frame arms. The shaft 13 hasrevolubly secured thereto, by the nut 15, a disk or late 16 interposedbetween the washers 1 and 18. The plate 16 is adapted to carry thereonthe abrasive which is shown as a ring 20 having, in section,substantially the form of a spherical segment. This ring 20 isreversibly mounted so that two effective abrading surfaces areafi'orded,'a convex face 21 and a fiat face 24.

The ring 20 is adjustably andreversibly' positioned on the plate 16 bymeans of posts 22 having threaded transverse.- holes in which areplaced, in threaded engagement, the screws 23 whose ends impinge againstthe inner face 25 of the ring 20. The posts 22 are four in number andare preferably equidistantly disposed in circular alinement on theplate. The posts are carried in the radially disposed slots 26 cut inthe plate. The post ends, projecting through the slots, are threaded andhave a Washer 27 and nut 28 secured on each by which means the posts areradially adjustably secured in the slots. Through the cooperation of theradial slot and screw adjustments, diflerent sized rings may beretentiv'ely held in a plurality of positions and by such means ,wearmay be taken up and the rings accurately centered and eccentricity ofrotation may be avoided.

The frame end opposite the abrasive has an enlarged portion 29,apertured to receive in slidable engagement the shaft 30 which has acollar '31 pinned thereon to limit its outward movement. The shaft 30 atthe other end has a preferably integral and substantially hemisphericalhead 32. The helical spring 33 is placed about the-shaft 30 between thehead 32 and the frame portion 29 and functions to hold the post normallyoutwardly extended. The head 32 is adapted to be received in engagementwith the socket 34 of the block 35 carried o'n'the end of the threadedstem 36. The tension of the block 6&. on the head 32' and Hence of theabrasive ring in the ball joint is adjustably applied by means of thelongitudinal movement of the stem with relation to the bracket 5.

The bracket 5', adjacent its end opposite to the joint flange, isslotted longitudinally.

' A box, whichis adapted to beplaced in the bracket slot, has a centralthreaded aperture and a flange 37 on one end. The other end of the boxwhich projects through the bracket slot has an exteriorly threadedportion on which is received in threaded engagement the lock nut 38. Thebox is thus longitudinally adjustably secured in the slot through thecooperation of the flange 37 and the lock nut 38. The stem 36 isreceived in threaded engagement with the box aperture and hence may bemoved in a plane normal to the bracket surfaceby turning a hand wheel 39which is preferably integral with the stem. A look nut 40 is placeduponthe stem to insure retention thereof in a predetermined position ofadjustment. The

grinder, in this manner, holds in adjustably tensioned contact theabrasive ring 20 and the surface 2 of the joint. The ball and socketunion, made by the head 32 and the socket 34 of the block 35, permitsthe relative movement of the grinder. A handle, as I shown in Fig. 6,secured in an arm 8 of the frame afiords a facile mode of manipulationof -the frame. This handle is preferably composed of a handle portion52, secured at its upper end in'one end of an elbow 41, the otherend ofthe elbow being adapted to be secured to either of the arms 7 and 8 bymeans of an aperture 42 provided in each. This adjustability of thehandle functions to afford means by which the grinder frame may bemanipulated from either side as, due to space restriction in alocomotive smokebox, the frame is not operable from the same side whenmounted in the right as when mounted in the left way of the-niggerhead.

This grinding apparatus is provided with a telescoping universal-jointedshafting increasing the range of efiective operation of this device inrestricted closures. The main power means, terminates in a universaljoint 44, to which is secured the spindle 45. The

latter has cut longitudinally therein a keyway 46, shown in dotted linesin Fig. 2. The

spindle 45 is inserted in a tube 47. An aperture is milled in the tubeand a key 48 is inserted therein and has sliding engagement with thekeyway 46, makingthe tube .47 revoluble with, and longitudinallyslidable with relation to, the spindle 45. This tube is positionedwithin the sleeve 49 and re'vodriven shaft 43, actuated by any suitableI naoaeee g;

the medium of which the shaft 10 carrying the bevel gear 11 is actuated.While this apparatus may be actuated by any convenient form of power, itis preferably driven by means of an electric motor 72, adjustablypositioned upon a platform detachably mounted within the smoke-box shell54. This platform consists of two angle irons 55 which have their endsunited by means of blocks 56 welded thereto. The end portions of theplatform are similar. a threaded aperture in which is received inengagement the threaded stem 57 fixedly secured at its outer end to thehead 58 to which are bolted the slotted bars 59. The platform angleirons 55 are similarly slotted and, by means of the bolts passingthrough the opposed slots are retained by the nuts 60. The slidablyadjustable bars 59 may be guided or locked in position. The pointedsupports 61, affixed to the head 58, provide contacts to impinge againstthe inside of the smoke-box shell and their tension there- .agairist isregulated by the turning of the threaded stem 57 in the end block 56hich functions to extend the head and forci ly to press the supportsagainst the shell. The ro-' tation of the stem is efi'ected by means ofthe insertion of a rod, pin or similar object within the apertures 62 ofthe enlarged stem portion 63. A three point suspension is provided forthe platform by means of the pivoted support 64 normally received withinone of the heads 58. This pivoted support 64 is formed on the reducedend portionof I the stem. When a three point suspension is desired thehead at this end is removed so that this support only is outwardlypresented to a smoke-box shell. Provision for such suspension is made asit has greater adaptability to smoke-box shells of smaller radii.

The motor is, as shown in Fig. 1, provided with means forits adjustableemplacementon the platform 53. The motor casing has an axial extension65 in which is formed a threaded aperture receiving in retentiveengagement the threaded reduced portion 66 of the stud 671 The stud isadapted'topass through a longitudinal platform opening afforded by theangle irons 55. A flange 68 is carried by the stud at its upper end andprovides a relatively Wide base to rest upon the surfaces of theplatform. The lower stud end has a threaded reduced portion 69projecting below the platform and receiving thereon the handle 70, thehead 71 of which is interiorly threaded to engage thestud end.

The motor-supporting stud is thus slidably mounted upon the platform andmay be looked, upon the rotation of the handle, at any desired pointthereon.

In operation the apparatus is simple and efiiciently rapid. The door ofthe locomotive front plate is opened, the two steam pipes aredisconnected, and the motor plat- Each block 56 has- ,if the usualconcave surfaced joint is to be ground, the convex face 21 is presented.The abrasive ring is trued on the plate 16 by means of" the adjustablescrew posts. If it is desired. to grind the right side ball joint first,the handle with its elbow is positioned in the aperture 42 in the leftmember 80f the 'frame. The bracket 5 is bolted to the flange surroundingthis joint. The grinder frame is then positioned so that the abrasivering 20 impinges against the surface 2 of the jointwhile the head 32engages the socket 34 of the block 35. The tension of the block 35,carried on the end of the threaded stem 36, is regulated by the hand'wheel on the other stem end. The box is accurately positioned in thelongitudinal slot in the bracket '5 so that the stem 36 will be inalinement with the shaft 30 carrying the ball head 32. Thebox isretentively held in such position by tightening lock nut 38. The handwheel 39 is then rotated, the stem 36 turns in the box and thus thesocket block is pressed against the yieldable head 32, forcing it towardthe frame against the tension of the spring 33. The motor is thenattached to the universal shaft, placed on the stud support, and thesupport positioned and locked on the platform. Power is thus applied tothe driven-shaft, and, through the bevel gears 1-1 and 12, the plate 16and ring20 are rapidly revolved and the surface 2 is ground. Thegrinding operation is manually directed and controlled through thehandle secured to the frame by means of which the frame and hence thegrinding ring is moved with relation to its yieldable spring ball andsocket support. In practice, a sheet iron jacket is bolted to the framearms and functions to inclose the bevel gears and thus to protect thehands or fingers of an operative therefrom. After one ball joint hasbeen correctly ground, the bracket 5 is removed and bolted to the flangesurrounding the other joint, the handle is secured to the arm 7 of theframe, the motor slidably positioned and locked, and a similar processis repeated.

There is thus provided a labor-saving, efficiently simple andexpeditiously operated grinder capable of effective operation in thelimited space afforded in a smoke-box.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: j

1. In a grinding machine, a rotatable grinding element, means forpositioning said element against the surface to be ground, means forchanging the contacting portions of the element and the surface whilesaid surface is being ground.

2. In a grinding machine, a rotatable grinding element, a support forsaid element adapted yieldably to position the same against the surfaceto be'ground, a handle on said support whereby said element and supportmay be moved to vary the contacting portions of the element and of saidsurface while said element is operatively held against said surface.

3. In a grinding machine, a frame, a grinding element adjustably mountedon said frame, a handle on said frame, a support for said frame, meanscarried by said support yieldably and movably to retain the grindingelement against the surface to be ground whereby the contacting portionsof the element and the surface may be varied while the surface is beingground.

4. In a grinding machine, a rotatable grinding lement, a holder for saidelement adapted yieldably to position the element against the surface tobe ground, a plurality of engaging means on said holder adaptedselectively and interchangeably to receive a handle whereby said holdersup port may be manipulated when said element is operatively heldagainst said surface.

5. A grinding machine comprising a frame, a grinding member mounted upona shaft in said frame, a bearing member on said frame in axial alinementwith the, shaft and having a spherical bearing head, supporting meansadapted to be secured to the object to be ground, a socket on said meansadapted to engage said spherical bearing head, and means on the frame tochange the contacting portions of the grinding member and the objectground while in operation.

6. A grinding machine comprising a frame, a "grinding element borne bythe frame, a support for the frame to hold the grinding frame int'ensioned contact with the object to be ground, means on said supportand said frame to permit relative movement therebetween when inoperative .position, a flexible driving means to actuate the grindingelement, and a handle on the frame operable to change the contacting1portions of the grinding element t e object ground during the grindingoperation.

7. A grinding machine comprising a frame, a support therefor, aspherical head.- ed bearing member on said frame, a socket on saidsupport to receive the spherical head of said member, a grinder, a shaftforthe grinder in axial alinement with the bearing member, a beveledgear upon the grinder shaft, a cooperating bevel gear mounted upon ashaft at right angles thereto and a driving member operatively securedby a universal joint whereby the last-mentioned shaft is actuated andsaid grinder may be moved while functioning.

8. A grinding machine of the character described including a grindingring, a driving shaft, a revoluble plate, a plurality of posts radiallydisposed on the plate, a set screw transversely received in adjustably10. A grinding machine comprising a frame, a handle on said frame, arevoluble grinding element mounted on said frame, yieldableframe-supporting means comprisi I I I 0 -1ng a shaft mounted in saidframe 1n axial alinement with said revoluble element, a bearing head onsaid shaft and a. resilient means on said shaft intermediate said headand said frame, and a support to engage said head whereby said frame maybe manipulated by said handle While said grinding element is operativelyheld against the surface to be ground. i

'11. A grinder for grinding a pipe joint retained within an inclosure, agrinding element, a revoluble support therefor, means affixed to saidjoint for holding said support, a shaft adapted to rotate said revolublesupport, power means to actuate said shaft, an extendible platformadapted to be positioned within said inclosure and means for lockingsaid power means in a plurality of positions on said platform.

- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

EDWIN L. PALMBORG.

